Wimbledon will follow the American and Aussie Opens in utilizing video review technology.
Replay systems will make its debut at Wimbledon in the upcoming tournament.
Competitors will gain the option to question certain calls from the chair umpire, mirroring the practice already in use at both the American Grand Slam and the Australian Open.
The new system is slated for use on Centre Court and Court One for the duration of the tournament and on the other four show courts when they are hosting singles contests.
This step comes just a year after the All England Club introduced electronic line calling, which terminated the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Players cannot to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but are allowed to ask for the official to re-examine specific situations, including:
- Whether a ball has bounced twice.
- Whether a ball made contact with an rival's racket or body during play.
- Possible interference at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no limit on the amount of reviews a player can request.
Practical Application
An illustrative case occurred in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the video challenge against Jack Draper.
Draper admitted it was a tough call for the umpire, but believed his rival had "used the regulations quite well."
The umpire viewed a video and ruled Draper was responsible for interference, awarding the rally to his opponent.
Growing Trend
Video reviews are not exclusive to major tournaments. It was adopted at the American major for two years and the Australian Open this year.
Additionally, it is becoming more common on the WTA circuit, and by next season the men's ATP Tour plans to have video reviews implemented at every one of its events.
Additional Innovations
Another innovation at The Championships this year will be the addition of visual indicators on scoreboards to support the verbal announcements from the ELC system.
This addresses instances where fans have sometimes been unsure if a shot was out or in.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the tournament, organizers have further revealed an expansion in daily attendance at the qualifiers in the qualifying venue.
